Saturday, November 15, 2014, marks the release of the Avanti Chamber Singers’ third CD “Beauty is Before Me,” the fifth installment in the “Voices of Niagara” CD series, featuring works by local composers.
The release will occur in conjunction with the Avanti Chamber Singers’ (ACS) season-opening concert, Viva La Musica! Presenting compositions from 1600 to the present day, this concert is a celebration of the joy and power of music. Rising Toronto oboist Aidan Dugan will perform as the featured guest artist.
The CD is a collaborative project by ACS, Brock University’s student choirs, and the former Niagara Vocal Ensemble, all conducted by Harris Loewen. The sequence of works on the album flows through a variety of themes: the beauty of nature, the patron saint of music (St. Cecilia), the War of 1812, elegiac reflections, and a group of spirituals.
The occasion also marks the re-release of the first two CDs in the series, recorded by the Niagara Vocal Ensemble, an all-women’s ensemble that was active in the Niagara Region between 1991 and 2011. All CDs are available through ACS and the Department of Music at Brock University.
As with all five recordings in the "Voices of Niagara" CD series, the music on every track is written or arranged by composers with a Niagara connection, most recorded for the first time. Composers represented on this latest recording include Penny Blake, John Butler, the famous Nathaniel Dett (1882-1943), Erik Gero, Brock professors Peter Landey and Harris Loewen, Gail Poulsen, folk singer Stan Rogers, Matthew Tran-Adams, and Ronald Tremain (1923-98), Brock’s first Professor of Music.
The concert opens with a rousing fanfare written especially for the occasion, based on the familiar round "Viva La Musica." The program includes works by the great Renaissance composers, Jacob Handl and Orlandus Lassus, as well as a variety of more modern pieces. Canadian composers (e.g. Stephen Chatman, Eleanor Daley, Ruth Watson Henderson) are well represented, and the concert also provides samples of works from the latest CD. Oboist Aidan Dugan will perform lyrical pieces by familiar 19th century composers Felix Mendelssohn and Robert Schumann.
Conductor Harris Loewen states, “This latest album marks an exciting milestone in this multi-choir CD project that has been developed and released to the public over the last few years. I’m so extremely grateful for the fine and energetic musicianship that all the singers and instrumentalists have contributed in both concert and recording. It’s a truly wonderful choral legacy for the region.”
The Viva Voce Choral Series, presented by the Department of Music, is a key part of the Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts’ mandate in building connections between the community and Brock University.
Come and enjoy this choral celebration and CD release on Saturday, November 15 at 7:30 p.m., held at St. Barnabas Anglican Church, 31 Queenston Street, St. Catharines. Admission at the door is $25 for adults; $20 for seniors & students; $5 for the eyeGo program for high school students. A $5 discount is available for advance tickets (excluding eyeGO) and can be purchased at two St. Catharines locations: BookSmart (Scott & Vine Plaza) and Thorold Music (Glendale Avenue).
For more information contact: Marie Balsom, Communications
Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts
T: 905-688-5550, ext. 4765 | E: mbalsom@brocku.ca | W: http://www.brocku.ca/finearts
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DART Alumnus directs George F. Walker World Premiere
“When I came to Brock I had done exactly one small part in one play. I had only ever seen two plays and one of them was Cats. I knew nothing about acting, nothing about theatre, nothing about life really. I was an English major planning to become a lawyer who thought that theatre would be a fun elective. When I left, five years later I couldn’t conceive of doing anything else with my life.” Wes Berger, class of 1999.
Department of Dramatic Arts alumnus Wes Berger, who has just directed the world premiere of George F. Walker’s Parents Night in Hamilton, has certainly made good use of the 15 years since he left DART. He has an extensive acting resume which includes stage, film and TV. Theatre credits include Tarragon, Young Peoples Theatre, Manitoba Theatre Centre and the Blyth Festival. He has worked as director on several Walker plays at this point, as well as Fringe and Summerworks shows in Toronto and projects with Lyndesfarne here in Niagara.
Parents Night is a one-act, three-character comedy/dramedy set in a Grade Three classroom. The action takes place in real-time, starring Sarah Murphy-Dyson as concerned and unhinged teacher Nicole, sitting down for a serious discussion with the parents of two of her most troublesome students. John (Matthew Olver) a wealthy and neurotic businessman whose wife has recently walked out on him and Rosie (Dana Puddicombe) a brassy and strong-willed working class woman with a drug-addicted husband, each star as delightfully defensive parents, loyally and valiantly advocating for their children against Nicole, one another and society itself. John’s son and Rosie’s daughter may be having their problems in Nicole’s class – mostly with each other – but when these parents go to school for a Parent/Teacher interview, their own problems soon bubble over and take over the classroom.
A funny, touching and truthful play for anyone who’s ever been a teacher. Or had a teacher. Or had a parent. Or wanted another kind of parent.
Read Review from Gary Smith at The Spec
There’s still time to catch the show. Parents’ Night runs through October 12 at the Pearl Company, 16 Steven Street in Hamilton. For more information, go to thepearlcompany.ca
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Music and Dramatic Arts collaborate with the Niagara Symphony Orchestra
Many Canadian orchestras have brought Classical Kids’ Beethoven Lives Upstairs program to their stages over the years, but the Niagara Symphony has brought a fresh new approach to this classic event. Brock Dramatic Arts student Elizabeth Pereira and alumnus Evan Mulrooney will play the roles of Christoph and the Uncle respectively, in performance with the Niagara Symphony (led by music director Bradley Thachuk) in April 2015. They earned the roles through competitive auditions at the school, and will be directed by Brock Professor of Drama Virginia Reh.
It’s part of a many-faceted partnership between the NSA and the university. The Niagara Symphony is Orchestra in Residence at Brock University, NSO concert notes are prepared by Brock Music Department faculty member Dr. Brian E. Power, the NSO participates in the Community Arts Partnership with the Brock Department of Music, Brock Music Ed Plus ensembles are featured in as part of Spotlight On!, Music Ed Plus students mentor and volunteer at Summer Music Camp, Brock faculty members coach, and adjudicate practice auditions, for students in The Academy @ SMC, NSO musicians Laura Thomas, Brent Adams, Gordon Cleland, Steve Fralick, Zoltan Kalman, Vera Alexeeva and Patricia Dydnansky are on faculty with the Brock Department of Music, and the NSO offers special PSSTnso (post secondary student ticket) pricing for university students.
from the article posted September 17 in the Orchestra News, Weekly Newsletter
at http://orchestrascanada.org/2014/09/17/new-partnership-for-the-niagara-symphony/ -
DART Co-op experiences in 2014
DART Co-op students take their studies in theatre to related work opportunities at some of the best employers in the the GTA and Niagara cultural sector. Fifteen students began their Co-op studies at DART in the fall of 2014.
Elena Milenkovski, DART, worked as an intern with SummerWorks Performance Festival, Toronto. The SummerWorks Festival is an 11-day festival spanning theatre, dance, live art and music that enables approximately 40 – 50 independent productions per year to be staged. SummerWorks supports work that has a clear artistic vision and explores a specific theatrical aesthetic. It encourages risks, questions, and creative explorations while insisting on accessibility, integrity and professionalism. Elena was very excited to add this experience to her resume. She proved to be an invaluable part of the team. Her organizational skills, initiative and strong interpersonal skills aided the festival in marketing and gaining sponsors for the 2014 event.
@alesiadane @BrockCoop Ditto! We can’t overstate our love for Elena and her significant contributions to #SW14.
Emi Forster, SummerWorks Performance Festival, August 19, Twitter
Three DART students worked at the Shaw Festival Theatre for the 2014 season. Amanda McDonnell, Sarah Bradford and Alexandra Towne worked in various roles in the green room, box office and retail sections of the theatre. Dianne Gibbs, Human Resources Manager, felt that these students had the perfect combination of communication and interpersonal skills mixed with a love of theatre for these roles. -
Assistant Professor joins the Centre for Digital Humanities
The Centre for Digital Humanities is pleased to welcome Dr. Jason Hawreliak to the position of Assistant Professor, Game Studies.
Hawreliak comes to the Centre for Digital Humanities from the University of Waterloo’s Games Institute, where he was a SSHRC Accelerate Mitacs postdoctoral fellow researching gamification and problem-solving. His research interests include the rhetorical, psychological and cultural function of videogames. He is particularly interested in how games convey meaning and how they can be used for persuasive purposes. Hawreliak is also currently involved in a project which examines playfulness in maker culture and its impact on self-esteem. He ultimately hopes to bridge the gap between game studies (analysis) and game development (production), and believes that each has a great deal to offer the other. Hawreliak is a co-founder and editor of the online game studies periodical, First Person Scholar, which seeks to occupy the middleground between academic journals and personal blogs.
The Centre for Digital Humanities currently offers an undergraduate program in Interactive Arts and Science (IASC) that supports learning in a wide range of practices and disciplines informed by human-computer interaction, visualization, and simulation. In 2015, pending Ministry approval, IASC will launch the GAME program, a collaboration between IASC, the Brock University Department of Computer Science, and the Game Development Program at nearby Niagara College.
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Centre for Digital Humanities welcomes new Director
The Centre for Digital Humanities is pleased to announce that Dr. David Hutchison is the new Director of the Centre for Digital Humanities and the Interactive Arts and Science program, for a 3 year term. Dr. Hutchison, from the Department of Teacher Education in the Faculty of Education, has been an advisor to the Interactive Arts and Science Program since its inception in 2006. Drawing upon his keen interest in games, Dr. Hutchison is the author of the 2009 book, From Gamer to Game Designer: The Official Far Cry 2 Map Editing Guide.
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Profession Development at Colleges and Universities CONGRESS 2014 Mon. May 26, 8:30 am, PL409
Learning about Teaching: Developing and affirming pedagogic knowledge through the Instructional Skills Workshop (ISW) is part of a panel where educational developers share their experiences of providing professional development (PD) programs for faculty and TAs. They will discuss aspects of what constitutes effectived PD and focus on benefits and outcomes of delivering the three day Instructional Skills Workshop (ISW) within your own educational contexts.
The ISW helps educators explore and celebrate participants’ pedagogical knowledge while reinforcing the importance of student centred learning.
Presenters:
Jill Grose, PhD, Director Centre for Pedagogical Innovation, Brock University
Michael Tjivikua, PhD, Centre for Teaching and Learning, Polytechnic of Namibia
Lianne Fisher, MA, Educational Developer, Centre for Pedagogical Innovation, Brock University -
Instructional Skills Workshop May 12 – May 14
The Instructional Skills Workshop (ISW) is designed to enhance your teaching effectivness through practice and feedback in small groups. Participants are required to attend all 3 days, and will receive a certificate upon completion. Open to Brock University 1) faculty, 2) sessional instructors, 3) teaching assistants and graduate teaching assistants, 4) lab demonstrators, and 5) tutorial leaders.
For additional information or to register online.
Questions? Contact the Centre for Pedagogical Innovation at cpi@brocku.ca or X 3933.
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Dramatic Arts is Digging In The Soil
Brock students, staff, alumni and volunteers brought downtown St. Catharines to life April 25-27, 2014 as the In The Soil festival once again took over the core for a weekend of creative arts, entertainment and more.
The three-day multidisciplinary arts fest, now in its sixth year, kicked off Friday at 5 p.m. with a performance by the Woodshed Orchestra at the Festival Hub on St. Paul St. between James and Carlisle Streets, closed off to vehicle traffic.
The annual showcase for Niagara’s budding creative arts scene expected to draw more than 400 artists and 5,000 attendees to the city for the three-day weekend festival.
Check out the 2014 festival’s promo video here.
“With more than 140 acts, artisans and installations to check out, this is truly a festival that celebrates and highlights the arts in Niagara and beyond,” says Sara Palmieri, Committee Chair for In The Soil.
This year’s festival also included a 50-foot-high ferris wheel right on St. Paul St. – a first for the City of St. Catharines. Thrill–seekers caught glimpses of the adjacent Academic and Cultural Arts Centre and future home of Brock’s Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts , both under construction for their 2015 opening.
Other festival highlights included musical performances by Canadian hip-hop artist Buck 65; Billy Martin, drummer with the New York City-based jazz-funk trio Medeski Martin & Wood; and St. Catharines-based group Creature Speak.
There was also live theatre and comedy such as Paper Song by Concrete Theatre group; The Dirty Cabaret III by St. Catharines theatre company Suitcase in Point; and The Al Borland Band or Tool Time Take Two by local artist Danny Fast.
Not to mention art and photography installations around downtown like Adam CK Vollick’s Frame of Reference and a Vendor Bender marketplace, both at the Festival Hub. Just to name a few of the many things to see and do.
Check out the full schedule at www.inthesoil.on.ca
DART alumni and students involved with In the Soil in 2014 include Colin Bruce Anthes, Genevieve Bain, Stephanie Baxter, Brent Cairns, Edwin Conroy Jr., Miles Coverdale, Dawn Crysler, Brian Foster, Collin Glavac, Geoffrey Heaney, Nathan Heuchan, Saide Isaak, Deanna Jones, Katelyn Lander, Nicholas Leno, Bri Lidstone, Anna MacAlpine, Nathan Tanner MacDonald, Karen McDonald, Hayley Malouin, Dylan Mawson, Tanisha Minson, Erica Nauta, Kendra Neaves, Natasha Pedros, Jonathan Phillips, Caitlin Popek, Rachel Romanoski, Marcus Schwan, Nicole Titus, Annie Wilson, among others. Three new plays written by DART alumni and students were premiered: a-PIE-calypso NOW!!! by Geoffrey Heaney and Nathan Tanner Mac Donald, Once, adapted for the stage by Colin Bruce Anthes, and The After Year by Anna MacAlpine and Tanisha Minson.
Dramatic Arts Students Hayley Malouin and Nick Leno bogged about the In the Soil Festival in a variety of formats (features, interviews, reviews, etc). You can find their posts at the DARTcritics blog http://dartcritics.com/ Be certain to check out their sign-off at dartcritics.com/2014/05/01/thats-a-wrap/
In The Soil is produced by Suitcase in Point Theatre Company – whose artistic director Deanna Jones and general manager Annie Wilson are both alumnae of Brock’s dramatic arts program – with many community partners, sponsors and funders from all levels of government.
Including content by Jeff Sinibaldi published in the article “Brock well represented at In The Soil downtown arts festival” by the Brock Press at http://www.brocku.ca/brock-news/?p=27740
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Brock Students & Carousel Players Share Their Love of Theatre With Special Gift
Students of the Department of Dramatic Arts showed their support for Carousel Players with a $600 donation this month. All of the box office proceeds from their Brock Connections production of Star-Crossed: A Musical Shakespeare from March 28-29, 2014 were donated to Carousel Players, Niagara’s theatre for young audience company. Directors of the one-act parody of Romeo & Juliet, Megan Dene & Nick Leno added "Please continue to inspire young people and their families to pursue and be involved in the arts."
"We were deeply touched by this unexpected gift that showed the true passion for the arts of these 23 students, "said Jane Gardner, General Manager of Carousel Players. "We used the funds to give the gift of theatre to St. Christopher Catholic School who received a free performance of Carousel’s Dib and Dob and the Journey Home at their school. Paul Lukacs, a teacher at St. Christopher told us of the wonderful theatre experiences the children aged 4 and up had at his school that day. For many children it was their first theatre experience."
(from the Carousel Players website)